using a lot apples … French Apple Tart for a Crowd

About this time every year I have the same problem: apples. Too many damn apples. In the fall I like to go apple picking and well, things happen. I overdo it every time. Just 6 of this kind I tell myself. And just 6 of that one, its not too many. Maybe a few more, so 8 of that one and oh, maybe a few more of this one. Before I know it, I’ve got more apples than I know what to do with and visions of baked goods dance in my head. I’ve googled “recipes that use a lot of apples” so many times it auto-populates my search bar. The funny thing is, a lot of the recipes that come up don’t use a lot of apples … maybe two or three. False advertising! One can only use so much apple butter.

But pies are where its really at. You can really pack a lot of apples into a pie. Then there’s this thing called a French Apple Tart. It’s shorter and less crusty than a typical pie, but you’d be surprised how many apples you can jam into a tart, especially if it’s the French Apple type. I haven’t figured out why it’s called this but a beautiful layer of shingled apples is it’s hallmark and underneath the pretty cover is a thick apple compote, cooked down with butter and sugar until tender. Double apple duty, if you will, easily knocking off a dozen apples.

Way back, I did a version of this tart in a pretty flower tart shaped pan with thin slices shingled to look like a giant daisy. It’s a good one and very pretty especially is you happen to have that fancy pan but I’ll be honest … I don’t think I’ve used that pan since. Instead, I’ve changed my method over the years, much preferring to do free-form, pan-free tarts. They’re easier, a bit more rustic and I don’t have to take the heavy tub that holds all my fancy pans off the very top shelf of my pantry. I’m sort of lazy like that.

The pie dough is a simple one with the usual butter-flour-sugar-salt-water, pulsed just so in a food processor until it barely comes together. Easy. Then you roll that sucker out into one giant circle and get it into the fridge to chill out while you get the apple situation sorted.

I’ve got lots of opinions on the types of apples you should use for a pie or tart and it boils down to one key learning: mix ‘em up. Using a single apple type gives you a boring, one note pie. I have a long standing argument with a pastry chef friend who thinks Honeycrisp apples make the best pies. Bullshit. Honeycrisp’s are fantastic eating apples but that sweetness gives you a sweet, uninteresting pie. Plus they’re expensive, more so than other types of excellent baking apples, so why bother? A few, maybe, but mix them up with a few sweet and a few tart varieties. If you go apple picking and get them all mixed up and can’t remember which type is what (like me), this is a perfect strategy and you can say you meant to do that all along. So for this tart filling, mix up those apples and sauté them in a bit of butter, sugar, spices and a glug of cider until they’re tender and compote-y. This will form a tasty filling for your tart.

Next up – the sliced apple halves that will form the pretty top. For this, I go with a single baking variety that will hold its shape. You can mix them if need be but it’s sometimes hard to know how a mix of varieties will look once baked. Some may slump and collapse a bit more than others, some may give off more liquid … its hard to say. For the version you see here, I used an heirloom baking variety that worked particularly well called Golden Grimes purchased from a farmer friend but I’ve used grocery store apples just fine too. Just stick with one type.

Since we’re trying to use up a lot of apples, this is a big tart … a good round 14” finished. Want a smaller tart? Halve the recipe. But why not go all in? It’s the same amount of work and you’ll make a lot of friends. Go for it.

STRESS THERPAY BAKING FACTOR: BLISS. I love making tarts. They’re pretty, they’re delicious, they’re not overly difficult to make and dammit, this one uses a lot of apples, making a serious dent in that enormous bowl on the dining room table. And what could possibly say fall any better than a giant apple tart?

Other apple recipes (‘tis the season): The Original French Apple Tart, Classic Apple Pie, French Apple Pie (double crust filled with an apple compote), Salted Caramel Apple Pie, Cider Apple Pie, Simple Apple Tarts, Apple Pear Crisp, German Apple Cheese Torte, Simple Apple Cake, Chunky Applesauce Cake, Fresh Apple Fritters, Apple Cider Compote and an Orchard Party, Dairyland Sour Cream Apple Bars, Apple Cider Rolls
Nine years ago: Squash & Onion Tart
Eight years ago: Roasted Beets w/Whipped Goat Cheese, Sauteed Beet Greens
Seven years ago: Concord Grape Pie & Purple Cow Pie Shakes
Six years ago: Kale & Squash Salad
Five years ago: Pickled Green Cherry Tomatoes
Four years ago: Seeded Crackers
Three years ago: Simple Pear Tart
Two years ago: Ricotta Gnudi with Cherry Tomato Pesto Sauce
Last year: Pickle Brined Spicy Chicken Sandwiches, Confetti Pork Stew

FRENCH APPLE TART FOR A CROWD
Serves 16 or more
I should note that I used a homemade apricot jam for my glaze that had oxidized a bit and came out quite dark. It looks like my apples were brushed with caramel, which I rather liked, but if you use a standard apricot jam, it will definitely look much lighter and glossier.

for the pastry:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
12 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced (1 ½ sticks)
½ cup ice water

for the filling:
5-6 large apples, a mix of tart and sweet, peeled cored and sliced ¼” thick (abut 8 cups/1 ¾ lbs)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of kosher salt
¼ cup apple cider

For the sliced apples:
6-8 large firm apples (it’s important that they hold their shape during baking)
¼ cup sugar
4 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, small dice (½ stick)

for the glaze:
¼ cup apricot jam
1 Tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water

1. For the pastry: place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
2. Pulse once or twice to combine.
3. Add the butter and pulse 6-8 times, until the butter is in bits the size of large peas.
4. Add ice water and process until the dough just starts to come together.
5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead quickly into one cohesive mass.
6. While the dough is still cool and maleable, roll on 1-2 lightly floured sheets of parchment to a large 16” circle about 1/8” thick. Your dough will likely be slightly larger than your parchment – add an extra sheet or two on the ends to prevent any sticking if needed.
7. Slide onto a sheetplan (if you have one of those rimless pans it’ll work perfectly otherwise use the back of the sheetpan or letting the dough hang over the rim is ok too.)
8. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
9. Preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack in the lower third of the oven.
10. For the filling: Peel, core and slice the apples if you haven’t already.
11. In a large sauté pan over medium-high, melt the butter until foamy then add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt; stir to combine.
12. Add the apples and stir to combine.
13. Add the apple cider and cook until the apples are tender and they begin to collapse, about 10 minutes.
14. Turn the mixture out onto a sheet pan in a thin layer and let fully cool.
15. For the sliced apples: peel the apples you’ll use for the topping.
16. Remove and discard the core with a melon baller and remove any remaining bits of the core or stem with a paring knife.
17. Thinly slice each apple half with a sharp knife – about 1/16″ – from stem to root end and set to the side while you do the same with the remaining apples. Depending on the size of your tart and the size of your apples, you may need anywhere from 6-8 apples. It’s good to have an extra or two on standby if needed.
18. Assemble: remove the pastry from the refrigerator and slide the parchment onto your work surface.
19. Turn the apple filling onto the pastry round, spreading evenly and leaving a 2” border all around.
20. Take one of the sliced apple halves and gently push down with the heel of your hand to shingle.
21. Carefully transfer a shingled apple to the tart, placing gently on top of the apple filling. You can either start from the center and work out or from one edge and work across. (I like to work from the edge so it’s not so perfect and there isn’t an apple in the bullseye center.)
22. Continue with the remaining sliced/shingled apples, packing them in tightly. To neatly fill in some of the edges, use half of an apple. The more tightly you can pack in the sliced apples, leaving little exposed filling, the better the finished tart will look.
23. Sprinkle the ¼ cup sugar over all the apples and dot with butter.
24. Using the bottom edge of the parchment paper, lift the pastry edge up and over the filling/sliced apples.
25. Continue working the pastry counter clockwise, using the parchment as an aid, and gently pressing down to adhere.
26. Carefully slide the tart back onto the sheet pan, trimming off any excess parchment paper if needed.
27. Bake for 1 hour, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the pastry is golden and the edges of the apples start to brown.
28. Remove the tart from the oven and run a metal spatula between the pastry edges and the parchment so the tart doesn’t stick to the paper as it cools, particularly if any juices bubble over onto the parchment.
29. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool while you prepare the glaze.
30. To glaze: in a small pan, heat the apricot jam with the Calvados (or whatever you prefer) then strain to remove any large fruity pieces.
31. With a pastry brush, glaze the apples with the mixture. It works best if you brush in the same direction as the apple slices.
32. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
33. Make ahead: the pastry can be made up to 2 months ahead and frozen; defrost overnight in the refrigerator. The apple filling can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated.